The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-07-15
The Oobrala Victim
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rERRiBLH STORY FROM RIAL LTVg N
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On boiling hot day, such A. one
often experiences IN the East Indies.
the sun was pouring down It's fierce
rays upon the scorching earth, writes
Mr.. Il. a. Crawshay 10 the San Fran
CISCO E1aminor; life seemed 10 be ex.
tinct, all was 30 calm and silent, and
even the few men employed around
my house moved noiselessly about, a.
II 10 be in keeping with the rest Of
nature.
My house, situa.ed little distance
from busy town, was built Of stone,
with veranda oS crgrown with creep
ers all around IL, such az seen in most
Anglo-lndian residences, and surround.
ed by small garden in which all the
beauties Of tropical climate flourish.
ed.
Daring this afternoon | was resting
myself in an easy bamboo chair alone
~ my room the blinds were drawn
down to keep it as cool a. possible, bat
nevertheless the heat wa- intense, max
ing me feel restless and irritable.
Novel after novel | opened, and after
reading a few pages flung the book
aside; and having tried for few
minutes 10 sleep, got mp and went to
one Of the windows. Drawing up the
blind quietly, saw on the verarda
my little daughter Glaiiz.
She was adore1 by my wife and my
self, being our only child, aud / was
about TO tap the glass in order to
attract her attention, when | noticed
tina, she was carrying bowl Of what
appeared TO be bread and milk, and
seemed 10 be looking for some one.
AT the same time | saw, to my horror,
huge snake Of the most vcnomous
kind--cobra-creeping from the side Of
the house along the veranda toward
her. She went slowly TO meet it.
knew that it would now be i'm
possible for me TO go out or TO make
the slightest sound without attracting
the snakes attention, and then / shud-
dered, for when once it was alarmed
the consequences might be fearful, 80
i had 10 watoh what was going TO
happen in cold prespiration of fear
for the safety OF my child.
The cobra, on reaching the child,
reared its loathsome head in the air
until level with the bowl, meanwhile
dartihg its tongue backward and for
ward and casting fierce glances around
10 see If danger was near, while it de-
voured the bread and milk. Gladiz
stroked its head gently and called the
reptile "her pet" cher pretty snake" 4"
| watched the food gradually dis
appear, and could have cried for relief
when | saw the snake had finished it's
meal, which | inwardly vowed should
be lts last. It then crept slowly to-
ward hole in the side of the house,
TO which it disappeared.
rushed from the room, and, meet
ing Gladiz coming into the h all, picked
her up in my arms and kissed her
frantically, exclaimed: "Oh, Gladiz,
Gladiz, the snake I" The child began
TO cry, knowing then l had seen her
with her pet. Her nurse, coming up to
see what was the matter, gave Gladiz
into her Oh atge, and went to find my
wife, to whom / told all that had oc-
Cured.
My wife learned from Gladiz that
she had been accustomed to feed the
snake twice day-after breakfast and
during the afternoon--for the last three
months, and often, if she thought she
was being watched, she would leave
the bowl on the veranda, fetching it
away at another time.
We, my wife and myself, arranged
that the bowl should pc put in It's place
az usual tomorrow morning, and that
! should shoot the snake from the win
dow OF my room while it was eating.
We also thought it best that Gladiz
should not be told that her pet was 60
ing to be killed.
Breakfast was rath or hurried next
morning for 1 was anxious TO get this
dangerous pet killed as soon as posi-
bic. The bowl was temptingly put in
its place. as directed by Gladiz, and l
took up my position with Gun at the
window Of my room, completely hid
ded from the outside by the Venetian
blind. The child was taken by my
wife to the nursery, rs arranged be.
tween US the evening before. All was
ready now, the snake alone was want
ing.
1t did not keep me long waiting.
Soon ! saw its head appear out Of the
hole The snake looked around with
its glittering eyes, and seeing tho bowl
crawled out on to the veranda and
made its way toward It,
1t seemed frightened once or twice
II turned round as il to return
-. MY tune had come the cobra was
Cd Saturday BY S@elJ,, llluding to
Sydney Smith as one Of slhe splendid
rapidly Of tlsfasl ssHfa9stlqnd's stars" Ttarefuly
bringing the gun to my shoulder, fred;
The brute rolled over, quivering and
writhing on the ground.
l began 10 pull up the blind with
the intention of going out and giving
the cobra the death blow, when heard
fearful scream aud moment after
saw Gladiz run past the wiudow-hel
golden hair loose, her dress torn-to
ward the wounded snake.
Before l could prevent her she hat
thrown herself on her knees before II
and lifting its head in her hands pressed
it against her cheek, weeping bitterl'
while she did SO instantly the cobr
buried its poisoned fangs into her deli
cate flesh. She screamed and unclasp
ed her hands from around the snake.
A cry escaped my lips as | saw wha
happened, and taking Gladiz in m
arms, carried her indoors. All tina
medical skill could do to save our chill
was done, but of no avail. In lei
than two hours she was dead. YeaI
have passed since then, but | never ca
forget the events of that fearful day.
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